Professor Pierce
by gurj14
Summary: There's only one way to be a hero: make out with a hot Admiral, use your genius mind to come up with solutions, and have all your vitamins. That's three things you say? Well Professor Brittany Pierce is so awesome she can do three things the way you do one. AU-Brittana
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **So… I have written this one with the kind help of author Killercereal who randomly e-mails me with great ideas.

I have been writing for AMW sequel - that shit is happening! Lol anyways, I really enjoyed writing this story because it came from a place of the 'TV Chemistry duos' that fight crime and inevitably fall in love (which I love) like Beckett and Castle, or Booth and Bones but what i think the Brittana version of that would be. Of course everything is made up and set in a futuristic universe because Brittany works as a unicorn in that world. There's a lot of planets and stuff, but when I wrote it I wrote with a no 'alien' mind but with the view that people existed on all sorts of different planets and were just people, like how people exist on different countries. So Earth is like the America of the planets.

/

**_Professor Pierce _**

* * *

Brittany smiles at herself in a bathroom mirror and says, "Hey."

She frowns afterwards, not quite pleased with how it sounded, before attempting again by adding, "Hey, Santana."

She holds her smile for a second, and then another second and finally says, "_Hi_ Santana."

She ends up pouting at her reflection and then leaning in close so as to fix a wry strand of her blonde hair.

Eyebrow wiggle? *wiggle, wink, grin*

Hell no. That makes her look like her eyebrows are having a seizure.

Maybe if she side-grins? That could work… not.

There's a knock on the door, followed by a muffled "Professor? Are you alright?"

"I think my front teeth are uneven," Brittany says aloud in response.

She sighs at herself in disappointment before she exits the small bathroom (after quickly making sure her breath is reasonable of course. _Minty_ _fresh_ – at least that was working for her).

She nods at her accompanying guide before they continue down the _Army Base Zero _hallway to where Earth's Military Task Force, known to most civilians as 'The Army', was currently hosting an important meeting to discuss a current threat to Planet Earth.

The first thing Brittany noticed when she entered the highly secured area was not that everyone went silent upon her entrance, nor that a few scientists in the corner started 'fangirling' at her presence, but that Admiral Santana Lopez was _not_ there.

"Where's Santana?" she asked the young Sergeant that had accompanied her entrance into the Base (and stopover at the bathroom to prepare herself for meeting Santana).

Had she practiced for no reason? Shit.

He looks lost and stutters, "um…"

"Professor Pierce?" A tall man who looked in his fifties approaches her, "My, you're even younger than your photo suggests."

"That was taken in the dry airs of the Arctic Moons," Brittany shakes his offered hand and grins, "Not a fun adventure for my skin but totally worth it."

He flushes, and a quick glance at his military jacket informs her that he has the five-star General rank. Damn, she was really starting to be considered important to them, wasn't she?

"Commander-General Richards, I take it?" She asks him rhetorically. "Is the situation that bad?"

She feels kind of bad now, because a few army officers tried getting in touch with her for help but she ignored them. When Santana called, only then did she bother coming. How was she to know it was really that threatening of a circumstance?

"I'm afraid so," he gestures she follow him to where other high-ranked military officers are gathered standing around a projection table discussing strategy.

The projection shows her images as he explains, "Heserectotemia's leader was assassinated and the government taken over by a tyrant, calling herself Lady Poria. She's declared war with Earth, Venus, and Gaff, and it looks like we'll be preparing for battle."

Brittany's head never stops. Rather, her mind is always thinking. She processes the situation and knows why her help is needed: to avoid a war from happening.

Which is easy, peasy, aluminum squeazy for her.

"This is preposterous," One of the lower ranked Generals, an angry redheaded woman says suddenly (her weird twang suggests Venusian noble bitch), "Admiral Lopez is way out of line assuming a Professor knows best in this situation. Commander-General, this is wasting our time!"

"Admiral Lopez, where is she?" Brittany asks hopefully and slyly indicates (demands), "I'll need her help specifically."

Because Santana Lopez only ever spent time with her when they were on missions and Brittany loved every second of it. (Just because the Earth was in danger didn't mean she couldn't enjoy saving it.)

"General Sacks is right," another General says, voicing his support of the redheaded Venusian. "Professor Pierce, no offence, but this is a Global threat and even though your brilliance is respected and recognized by this institution, this is a very major threat. Your experience on the field is limited to consulting missions with Admiral Lopez who herself has not been in the field for months, none of which-"

"I mean, I didn't do much," Brittany says interrupting him because the fact that Santana hadn't been in the field was worrisome given their last meeting, "just happened to invent this projection table right here and the upgrade of your weapons and the filtered conditioner system that allows us to recycle and breathe clean air… and the electrical template that services our whole planet's energy, and really when I accompanied Santana on missions we only saved twelve or so planets and species and… let's not waste anymore time! Here's my plan: me and Admiral Lopez will infiltrate Heserectotemia while you distract them with attempts of war negotiation. Cool?"

She glances at the dumbfounded faces surrounding her and smiles brightly. She was above being humble in this situation. Actually, she was always above being humble. She ruled.

"What do you plan on doing?" the Commander-General eventually asks her while his colleagues tried not to look embarrassed.

"It's simple, I'll read up on the flight over there -which Admiral Lopez will pilot in her cute little jet- about the Heserectotemia Trible-Four-Tech Core and then by the time I get there I'll dismantle it so you guys can swoop in and save Heserectotemia from the crazy Lady of whatever Pours and their govenerment can be restored."

"That feels too simple," The Commander-General adds in thought, sounding relieved.

"Simple is best," Brittany tells him. "It's how I perfected neurosurgery."

"Well," the previously skeptical redhead who was now on board with the plan said, "unfortunately Professor, we've got Admiral Lopez stationed at Zanta-Hara four hundred thousand miles from Heserectotemia and time is of the essence."

Brittany pouted before brightening once again and saying, "oh well! I'll need a lift there to pick her up then."

"We've got our Admiral of the Fleet, Jason Jibuwe right here," General Sacks gestures to her right where an exceptionally good-looking man of impressive height and stature steps forward, ready for service.

Brittany has spent all morning perfecting the way her blonde hair set and finding the sexiest 'pretending I didn't try to be sexy' outfit. Her middle-part, lightly waved hair and skintight jeans and constricting sweater were meant for Santana, not Santana's good-looking superior officer.

"No." She says.

"But, I'm Admiral Lopez's boss," Jason says, "I'm therefore more qualified and capable of seeing this mission through."

"Fallacy," Brittany says to him. "And _Santana_ is the only one in this Army I trust with my life and I'm sure all of you understand why that is."

They've read Santana's file most likely. They know exactly _why_ Santana hasn't been able to enter the field for a while.

"Of course," the Commander says softly, "but Admiral Lopez has not yet been cleared for field duty and Admiral Jibuwe is very trustworthy, I personally assure you."

"I'm the best pilot in the fleet," Jason adds seriously. "And I respect your work very much."

That's nice and all, but Santana is what she came for.

"She's my best friend though," Brittany tells him gently before adding, "but if you really want to you can drop me off at her location, right?"

* * *

**_Zanta-Hara Ship: _**

Santana sipped on her coffee and waited as a jet boarded the ship dock. Brittany was now on board and like always, Brittany's genius mind had come up with a solution to 'save the day.'

Or in this case prevent a lot of death and shit.

She stood in front of the boarding doors and smiled as Brittany entered the cabin and headed straight for her.

"Hi!" Brittany said happily before shyly looking down, "Um, Santana. Hey."

Santana tried to ignore the way her heart fluttered (they hadn't seen each other in a while) and held up her coffee as an offering, "you can have the rest of this. I'll just put on my gear and grab you a proof-vest."

Brittany accepted the coffee and Santana saluted her superior, Jason, as he followed in after Brittany.

"Admiral Lopez," he nodded, looking a little put off with her.

"Sir," she raised an eyebrow, wondering if Brittany told him something odd (like that time Santana revealed she found her boss asshole-ish).

"I'll assume your station while you accompany Professor Pierce into Heserectotemia," he sniffed and then twirled on his heel to leave them alone.

Santana walked into her room on the battleship, ignoring the soldiers who saluted her and whispered as she passed by because _The_ Professor Pierce was walking behind her and therefore the heroic duo Professor Brittany Pierce and Admiral Santana Lopez was reunited to save another planet and stop another war – in the words of inter-planet journalist Mikayla McTavish, their number one fan.

They hadn't been on a mission in a long time or even spoken, really, because…

"How's the arm?" Brittany asks when they're in the privacy of Santana's room.

Santana doesn't answer, instead she glances awkwardly up at Brittany and then starts grabbing some combat gear. She arms herself with a few laser-guns and throwing knives before snapping on her own black proof-vest (another personal Pierce-grade invention) and holding her spare up for her friend to take and wear.

Brittany smiles at the pink crown on hers. These vests had been Santana's birthday presents a few years ago.

"Santana," Brittany puts the empty coffee cup on a nearby table and then starts putting on the vest, "you can't avoid me and my intrusive questions forever."

"It's fine," Santana holds up her right arm and wiggles the fingers. They were encased in black leather but they whirred from the mechanical motions.

The sounds of which made Santana cringe noticeably.

Brittany grabs the hand and starts to remove the leather glove, but Santana snatches it back abruptly before she can inspect the metal beneath.

"We better set off," she tells the Professor before leading the way back out and past the soldiers again to the boarding dock.

"We've got a whole nine minutes together in that shuttle," Brittany says as they ignore the saluting soldiers and board Santana's personal _Jet 77. _It still has a long scratch on the door from one of their first missions together when they got stuck in a meteor shower.

"Joy," Santana says as she buckles into her pilot seat. Brittany sits on the adjacent seat to the side, much more comfortable and with a cat's bobblehead starting to rattle as Santana engaged flight.

"You kept it!" Brittany says happily, flicking the bobblehead with her hand.

"Not like I fly with anyone else," Santana says to Brittany with a smirk. "So, Pierce. How have you been? Still dating that weird weight-lifter?"

"No I dumped him," Brittany says casually. "So I could date his sister. According to the tabloids I've been dating that Tyrule actor… but really, I just slept with her twin cousins. But yeah, I'm _single_."

She emphasizes 'single' and notices Santana twitch. Either that or she was trying not to sneeze.

"You're taking to the arm really well," Brittany starts off when Santana doesn't comment on dating anymore, "considering you're the only person I've ever given a robotic limb to-"

"Can we not talk about the arm?" Santana says quickly.

"You know me, I love talking about my work…" she jokes before saying with a very serious tone, "No one can hear us, Santana."

Santana engages autopilot and swivels her chair to face Brittany, knowing her friend isn't going to drop it anytime soon. She extends her right arm in submission and admits, "It hurts, mostly at night."

Brittany removes the leather glove and analyzes the metal hand in its entirety. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Santana stretches her fake fingers and then closes them into a fist (her face gets long and sad when she realizes she can't feel Brittany's touch). "I'm telling you now, aren't I? Look it's just… I had enough of the psychiatrists after the accident I just want to pretend my arm works, you know? I'm really not that traumatized."

"You lost an arm, you need to talk about it to somebody."

"Pierce." Santana leans back and puts the leather glove back on the metal fingers. "What's done is done, okay? You're a genius and this robotic arm can still fly ships and aim my rifle, which I'm forever thankful for otherwise I'd be out of a job. Now, we're going to land in fifty seconds so lets do what we do best and fuck shit up."

Brittany smiles sadly as Santana puts her walls back up and starts landing them in Heserectotemia to face the music.

"I wish you'd just talk to me," Brittany says to her just before they land. "I missed you."

Santana hears her but doesn't respond. Instead, she stands up after landing, clears her throat and says, "I always got your back Britt, that hasn't changed."

Brittany doesn't mention to Santana that _she_ knows Santana cut her own arm off. She recognized the way it was detached and she thinks she knows why Santana did it but doesn't have to courage to bring it up because…

What if she's wrong? That would be embarrassing.

* * *

**_Heserectotemia: _**

Santana leads the way with her quiet-quick steps and rifle at the ready. Brittany has a magnetic aerospace inversion scanner (her own invention) to help navigate the way to the Heserectotemia Trible-Four-Tech Core.

Brittany can't help herself from staring at Santana's very firm (and well-toned from sweaty military class exercise) ass. It was a perk of her position and she was nothing if not an optimist.

Mmm, mmm, mmm.

"Be careful and stay close," Santana says.

"Don't worry, I am," Brittany says dreamily, stepping close and letting herself catch a whiff of Santana-hair.

"Good," Santana ducks and scans the area with her body-warmth vision glass before walking again, unaware of Brittany's lip biting and appreciation. "Because my right ear is still damaged from that explosion in Qurangahar. My reflexes might be a little slow."

"Another thing you should have told me," Brittany tells her. Her scanner turns red so Brittany adds, "we're here! The main frame will be inside that metal gate."

"You mean the one guarded by giant men with turbo-lazers? Of course it's that one."

"Just like old times," Brittany takes the opportunity to lean in and kiss Santana's cheek "for good luck! I'll go up and you go ahead!"

Santana grumbles and darts forward before taking aim and shooting the first round. With the guards distracted by the Admiral's shots, Brittany starts scaling the metal scaffolding to approach from the ceiling. She's also been a pretty decent gymnast in her spare time.

It takes her about three minutes of careful scaling before she falls behind the occupied guards. Santana stops firing so that her stray lazers won't hit Brittany and the guards move closer thinking she's out of ammo.

Brittany is in, closing the door behind her after she sees the main frame which stands at ten-feet tall and is full of wires for her to play with. She snaps out of her trance as she hears yelling outside and the sounds of lazers going off, Santana probably wants her to hurry up as fast as she can and Brittany doesn't want Santana in crossfire too long. Plus, how hard can dysfunctioning a planet's core be?

It takes her three attempts before the Heserectotemia Trible-Four-Tech Core shuts itself down, and then she recodes it so they can hold the power hostage during peace negotiations.

So yeah, ten minutes and she's exiting the same way she got in, and Santana is nowhere to be found…

"Pierce!" A thick cord of rope dangles in front of her and Brittany's eyes go wide. Sure she likes thrill, but… okay yeah, she grabs the rope and lets Santana fly them out of there because some guy totally tried to lazer her ass.

The rope reels her in with a magnetic ray and Brittany knows it's a very strong magnet, after all she invented the thing to upgrade Santana's jet, but that doesn't stop her from punching Santana's robotic arm when she's safely inside the cockpit.

Santana has the decency to look worried, "they were gaining on me, I had to pull back. Didn't realize you were afraid of heights."

Brittany's hand is the one that hurts after smacking and she rubs it on her thigh, "I'm not afraid of anything."

"Then why'd you hit me and freak out?"

"Because that was so Santana of you and-and I hit your robotic arm so its not like you felt anything!"

"You alright?" Santana asks calmly once they're back on track and headed to base.

Brittany is most definitely alright, because in her worry Santana was now gently touching her shoulder, with her non-robotic soft hand, and it was amazing.

"Yeah," she said shyly. "Thanks."

Santana freezes as she notices the physical closeness and clears her throat before awkwardly pulling her hand back.

Brittany blames the adrenaline for her bold accusation of, "don't be afraid for what you feel."

Santana doesn't give her anything except silence and Brittany feels (humiliated) let down. Even the bobblehead taunts her.

* * *

**_Earth Army Base: _**

Brittany enjoys the fact that Admiral of the Fleet, Jason Jibuwe, can dance without stepping on her feet which makes him the first dancer of the night to do so.

Really. She expected the military to be more coordinated in general.

"So, um… Professor Pierce," he asks her as they waltz to the violins, "May I say that I find your mind incredibly attractive?"

"You may," Brittany smiles at him.

He blushes and opens his mouth again, only to be cut off by Admiral Lopez who appears suddenly and looks bored our of her mind.

"Brittany," Santana makes them stop dancing. "I owe you a dance."

Brittany is mad at her, of course, but this scenario is pretty extraordinary. She's only danced with Santana once before, when they first started hanging out and were enjoying a club together (a night that ended in memory loss and matching tattoos). But slow-dancing? Only in her most romantic dreams!

She ignored Jason's hopeful gaze and jumps into Santana's arms immediately.

Santana sighs as her hands glide around Brittany's waist, "great. My boss likes you."

Brittany doesn't have the heart to tell Santana that the proper dance position isn't this close because, well, they're very close. She tightens an arm around Santana's neck and uses the other to impulsively grab Santana's bicorne military hat and place it upon her own head with a mischievous smirk.

"You drunk?" Santana asked her, looking amused.

"Hmmm," Brittany rested their cheeks together. "How else was I supposed to forget how much you hurt me?"

Santana backs out of their embrace and gently tugs on Brittany's hand to lead her out of the military victory ball (an excuse to party was an Army tradition Brittany adored) to the gorgeous garden outdoors.

They kept on walking, holding hands, until they were alone.

"Why are you playing with my feelings?" Brittany asks Santana.

"I'm not," Santana defends, letting go of her hand and looking down at her own feet. "I'm just being a coward."

"About what? About… a relationship?"

"Pretty much," the Admiral whispers regretfully. "I mean, God, Brittany... You're…"

Brittany watches Santana's eyes swell with tears and she feels her own water in turn.

They've been through a a lot of shit together, this really shouldn't be so hard.

"Santana…" she steps closer, "I love you, okay? I'm _in_ _love_ with _you_."

It's out there, in the open, but Brittany feels like Santana should have caught on and probably has which makes this much more frustrating than it should be.

Santana's arms raise to cover her face and she sobs which makes Brittany's heart pound faster.

"Please talk to me," she begs desperately, trying not to give into the voice in her head saying she's about to be rejected.

Santana drops her arms, and her face is skewed with heavy emotion. Her eyes are red and she raises her right (robotically stiff) arm, "I cut this arm off for you."

Brittany flinches from the truth but listens.

"Fuck, Brittany, I'm _nothing_. And you? Am I even… good enough for you? I clearly have issues-"

Brittany jumps forward and kisses her, knowing everything will be okay when they both melt at the same time. It wasn't a rejection – Santana was just afraid. She could deal with afraid.

"I do want you," Santana whispers when their lungs demand a breath, causing the next kiss to be even fiercer.

Santana is totally in love with her too, the damn weirdo just can't admit it.

Brittany can't believe this is finally happening. Years of tagging along on Santana's missions and yearning for something more were finally over.

_This_ was happening. Her lips were on Brittany's lips and they wanted each other.

"Brittany," Santana whispers against her lips, "We-"

Brittany moans, not wanting to talk any further because making out was the number one priority.

She started tugging on Santana's Admiral coat sleeve before pulling her cheeks in to keep their faces attached.

She pants and moans, trying to really appeal to Santana who was eagerly returning the kisses with her right arm unmoving while her left hand rested timidly at Brittany's waist.

It was the flashes that made them break apart.

TBC...


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **This Chapter goes into the first meetings of B&S. Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out my present/past tense straddling. I used to always write past and now I try to write present-tense because I like it more, so i literally mixed it up without noticing and i'm pretty sure it's not the first time lol. As for the 'arm' thing… can i be a bitch and postpone it longer? yes i can! lol hope you enjoy this chapter y'all

(Also, to **JRRS, **thanks for always reviewing. I haven't replied to your reviews in a while because your PM is disabled!)

**_Professor Pierce_**

* * *

**Flashback, five years prior...**

* * *

**The University of Earth Quad 1: **

The University of Earth had a huge campus, but despite how large it was to wander wherever Brittany went her entourage was able to find her and stick to her side.

Those annoying suck-up nerds wanted to be near her genius in hopes of mental orgasm (in Brittany's personal opinion).

But it was cool because they worshipped her and she amused herself with experimenting on the lengths of their worshipping.

"Can I carry your books for you?" Says Subject A.

"No, allow me-" Subject C's voice drowns out since Brittany stumbles into someone (because she was too busy trying not to roll her eyes) and 'oofs' at the same time they 'oof.'

"Oh my God Brittany are you okay?" Subject Weird Jaw aka Subject B rushes his skinny ass to her side and starts screeching from his weird jaw. "Watch where you're going, do you realize you just hit THE BRITTANY PIERCE!"

The person in question turns out to be an unimpressed (incredibly gorgeous!) Army student. There were quite a few enrolled at The University for general classes, but this one was higher ranked than the usual young cadets Brittany spots around and had her hair down instead of up in the uniformed do, her jacket unzipped to show some cleavage, and her leather boots not quite buffed or polished as they should be.

"A Commodore hanging around the business building?" Brittany asks when the young woman stands up after collecting her own fallen book bag.

"A genius making an obvious observation?" Snipes back the Commodore before walking away from them quickly – hitting the shoulders of Brittany's annoying nerd-tourage on the way in an intimidating (scowling and glaring) fashion.

Brittany feels her face flush. No one at this University ever talked to her like that except the patients in the psych ward, and even that was because they were crazy people who didn't know who she was.

Ignoring her nosy followers, Brittany jogs after the Army Official and tries to get her attention, "hey! Wait!"

The woman stops walking and raises an eyebrow after turning around, "Yes?"

"Um…" Brittany sucks her lips in before letting out, "last time a Commodore, or really there were seven Lieutenants, five Commodores, a couple Admirals, and fifty recruited Cadets – anyways – last time, right, within a square foot mile of where I just ran into you it was because of a severely dangerous bomb threat to the University so I mean, as a civilian in possible danger you have an obligation to report your reasons for attending this part of the school and why."

"…" The Commodore's eyes narrow at her, and her lips part ever-so but don't say anything in response like she's still trying to grasp all the words Brittany said.

Brittany grins at the dumfounded face and continues, "failure to follow citizen protocol means I'll have to report you Miss… Lo-pez-zzz."

Her finger points to the name stitched on the tight jacket, and the Commodore huffs before straightening her back and saying, "there is no known danger – oh wait. Yes there is. This Commodore is at The University to attend a scheduled lecture for Galactic Corporate Finance for which she will be late. For the safety of the civilian Pierce, this Commodore must inform her that she's making me late and over thinks too much and should carry on with her own day. Cool? Bye."

With that, she walks off and leaves Brittany dumbfounded. And a little turned on.

Brittany ended up thinking about that Commodore for the rest of the day, the day after, and even the day after that.

Obviously the woman was attending a lecture, her relaxed uniform even supported that…

But Galactic Corporate Finance? That was an elective no Armed Officer would ever need to study. Unless Commodore Lopez had a personal interest in that subject – which Brittany was felt was unlikely – then there was a reason.

Sure the woman was rude and made sense, but Brittany knew she was right. Commodores, no matter how young and sexy, made no habit of taking classes at The University.

* * *

**Boiler Room Z of The University of Earth: **

"Wow," Brittany narrows her eyes in astounded horror, "this is why you took Corporate Finance? I mean, I knew there was no way you were taking it for interest because you don't appear to have the patience to go through all those equations… but this I did not see coming. It doesn't suit your tough attitude at all."

Commodore Lopez is scowling from where she is hanging upside down in one of the University's many boiler rooms. The chain swings with obnoxious creaks and she closes her eyes in irritation at Brittany's arrival.

"So," Brittany sits down cross-legged with a smirk instead of offering to help get her down, "Professor Dicks is getting his students to unknowingly double pay on textbooks for not only his classes but all of their classes and you were supposed to be investigating him but instead found out he was working for that psycho power-trip Von Dwinkle and got bested by his goons and stuck here so they can come back in ten minutes after making sure you're alone without backup and beat the crap out of you."

Santana ignores her and uses a pocket lazer blade on the chain around her ankles to cut it and free herself before falling down into a handstand and smirking at Brittany's awed face before she flips herself into a seated position opposite her.

"Not quite. You got the bad guys right, but getting caught was part of my plan because now I have recorded evidence from the nano-chips in my earrings of their discussion." She gestures to the earrings with a tiny grin, a grin Brittany finds more twinkling than the jewelry.

"Those aren't admissible in court though," Brittany counters. "And where did you hide that pocket lazer? I saw them body-search you before they left."

"In my hair," Santana got the rest of the chains off her ankles and stood up, brushing her attire free of the ground's dirt. "How did you find out?"

"I hacked Corporate Finance to find out your name," Brittany admits casually, "and then noticed the discrepancies from the student accounts with other student accounts and realized millions of dollars had been cheated so cleverly but I've met Dicks and I don't really think he's that smart so then I looked into his bank stuff and realized he's paying off a debt smaller than what he stole and realized he has a lone shark and found out his loan shark was Von Dwinkle."

"It's Von D'Vingle," Santana said as they started walking out of the boiler room, "Not Von Dwinkle. Plus, since my life was in danger The Army uses the audio from my earrings as proof of death threat. Loopholes."

"But… the Vingle is of Martian origins and it fluctuates with Gaff's 'wuh' sound so it could be Dwinkle."

"You just made that up."

"... no I didn't."

Santana raises an eyebrow in challenge, so Brittany relents with a pout, "okay yeah, I did."

It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

**The University of Earth Quad 7: **

Brittany isn't really surprised when, four months after the Von Dwinkle-D'Vingle-Schminkle thing, Santana contacts her for help with another case. Santana finds her on campus.

"Sup Pierce, can we talk?" She greets Brittany in civilian clothing, the latest galactic fashion of a skin-tight long-sleeved top and short skirt combo. It was all the rave these days, only somehow Santana looked ten times better than others Brittany had seen trying the look.

Brittany ignores her entourage and lets Santana guide her to a secluded tree for privacy.

"Commodore," she taunts with a grin, "I don't do second dates."

Santana chuckles, "very funny. Listen, I need a favour. An illegal favour."

Brittany is intrigued, "for the greater good I hope?"

"Yep. Remember how you illegally got into student records last time we met?"

"Of course," Brittany nods, "I also remember how you took all the credit for Dingle-face getting arrested."

"I kept you from being charged with illegal activity," Santana corrects, rubbing what looks like a headache from her forehead. "Look, you in or not? Otherwise I need a new plan."

"You haven't exactly elaborated what it is you need my illegal help for?"

"There was an explosion on Ming'harz-"

"Heated acid mixed with yuniger gas, caused that planet-quake."

"Exactly. I think it was rigged."

"But I looked at the official report after the press release," Brittany said, shaking her head, "everything checked out – it sounds like a plausible accident. They really should have been careful is all."

"Look," Santana whispers quietly, "one of my superior officers, Admiral Janex Stevenson. Look her up for me like you did D'Vingle. Please."

Brittany sees how serious Santana is about it, and really she's impressed with Santana as a person – someone, probably the only someone, she's met who appears capable and rational and remotely intelligent.

Plus, it was kind of hard saying no to that cleavage. Deep neck's were back in, just like air lifted bra-wires.

"I'll do it. Come with me," she says, deciding to skip her next class on Hyper-Quantum-Physics to go to her dorm room instead and do the favour being asked.

Santana follows her on the ten minute walk along the gardens and says, "thanks."

"Don't thank me yet," she tells Santana quickly because she feels weird about doing someone a favour. No one has ever asked for one before, and the kids from her primary school days that tried to bully her into doing their work don't count.

"It's just," Santana starts saying before ending with, "nevermind. I got a question… how come you haven't fucking graduated here yet?"

"I have graduated. Like, four times."

"No but for real graduated. You've got degrees in everything, right?"

"Four degrees is not everything. I'm getting my masters in 'everything' now, though. Literally made my own field of study called 'Aggregate' which is an older word from Earthlish, when it was called English, rarely used these days that means 'whole' so…"

"Oh. Cool." Santana gives her a weird look and then adds quietly, "depths under depths of thefts."

Brittany stops walking, her jaw dropping open and her eyes popping in surprise.

"Did you just quote Myths of Pinkies?!"

Santana's eyes also pop open and her body jolts, "you _know_ Myths of Pinkies?!"

Brittany squeals, "YES! Only the best scan ever!"

"I didn't realize you read good shit," Santana is smiling wide, "I thought you only read textscans like a nerd!"

"Everyone says it's a bad read but it's so, so good!" Brittany goes off in her excitement.

"It's epic," Santana agrees whole-heartedly, "I've read it over and over again."

"Smiles are the prize of everybody's skies-" Brittany starts, waiting for Santana to finish the line.

Which she does immediately, "but frowns are the crown of my demise."

Brittany grabs Santana's wrist and tugs her towards her house, "I so need to show you my original signed scan before hacking your boss."

"No way! How'd you get it?"

"I found it in a library and like, took it." She realizes she's admitting theft of property to an Officer of The Army, but it was Myths of Pinkies and no one cared (except them, apparently).

They enter the dorm, which is actually a whole student house given to Brittany by The University for her continued attendance and research, and Brittany is so pleased that Santana knows Myths of Pinkies (a scan scribed over a hundred years ago by a man on his last-day living that no one else seemed to know existed), that she offers Santana something to drink.

"I also need to introduce you to Kiki," Brittany says enthusiastically. "My household interface that I'm trying to surge into an accompanying assistant."

Santana looks incredibly confused, but Brittany is undeterred with excitement that she's got something in common with Commodore Lopez, of all random people.

"It's super cool. Come on!"

When Santana accepts her offered drink, admires her Myths of Pinkies scan, and listens to her discuss the engineering of Kiki, Brittany thinks she's finally found like, a friend or something. Which is an awesome feeling.

When Santana stands behind her and watches Brittany hack University records, Brittany pays more attention to the heat of her body than the projection in front of her.

"Well?" Santana asks.

Snapping out of her trance, Brittany clear her throat and tells Santana plainly, "looks like that Admiral boss of yours purchased a large supply of yunigar grass."

"And?"

"And yunigar grass can be cooked to produce yunigar gas. Basically, you thought she was behind the explosion and yeah it looks like she was behind the explosion. Clever."

Santana doesn't seem to share her impressed mood, looking gloomy and thoughtful.

"Fuck," Santana eventually says.

"How about… you sleep on it."

"Fuck."

"Want another drink?"

"Like, fuck. People died in that explosion. If she was behind it…"

"She totally was," Brittany nods seriously.

"That means she had a reason."

"So what are you going to do?"

Sighing, Santana makes her face hard and serious (clearly not in the mood to giggle over scans anymore), "get to the bottom of it."

Brittany wants to spend time with her and this is much more interesting than her ongoing studies so she immediately offers, "can I help?"

When Santana rolls her eyes, Brittany knows she's in.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Some more beginnings of our two heroes backstory as friends! Stuff should get more action next few chaps but hope you enjoy this chapter ;)

**_Professor Pierce_**

* * *

**About five years prior...**

**Planet Pratam: **

Brittany loved the jungles of Pratam, a planet ten times the size of Earth. It had the largest farming factories in the Southwest Galaxy, which meant lots of money for her if she could tweak some of their engineering in the factories.

_Or_ find some diamonds.

"Diamonds were thought to be extinct," Brittany analyzed the gem in her palm and watched it twinkle in the light. "I can't believe three millimeters of this thing is causing a war…"

She also can't believe it was found near a field of purslane lettuce south of the jungle. That's her least favourite lettuce.

"So it's authentic?" Lieutenant Klaq Rinker asks her, his bright, trendy blue hair getting in her face as he leans over her shoulder to look at it. "Damn," he says in appreciation of the shimmering mineral.

"Remain four and a half feet away from me at all times," Brittany requests him. "Also, find me some tea."

She misses his scowl and continues to analyze the tiny diamond as he steps away.

"Hey! You Lieutenant Rinker?" A familiar voice cut into the serenity of Brittany's examination.

Her neck reacts quickly, snapping around to confirm that the (gorgeous) face her eclectic memory had triggered matches that voice. With a hopeful appraisal that a certain styled shirt was still being worn, she glances down before up.

As impeccable as ever, that Earthly delight.

"Santana?"

Commodore Lopez gives her an exasperated nod and then walks up to the Pratam-based fellow soldier and gives a sloppy salute.

"Lopez, C-7-89, Earth. I bet you need a break from her highness here."

"Thank god," the guy salutes Santana back quickly, "your Earth timing is as terrible as ever."

Brittany ignores the jibe – she had booked first class transport to the planet as soon as she could, it wasn't her fault The Army couldn't keep up or that his family name was Rinker.

When he's gone, Santana seats herself next to Brittany.

"So," she says slowly, "it's you again. And now we're in the jungle."

"Now I won't get tea, so thanks… Why did they send a Commodore let alone try to force a Lieutenant on me? Earth has twenty percent claim to all diamonds I find, you'd think they'd have a General negotiating or something."

"If you find shit at _all_ I'm supposed to call it in." Santana drums her fingers before grudgingly telling Brittany, "Look, I volunteered when I heard you were here. My base is circuiting Pratam jungles right now-"

"Makin-trou still spying on Earth?" She ignores how Santana came because of her (she bushes and tries to re-word that in her head. Arrived for her? No, somehow that was dirtier) and focuses on the fact that Makin-trou terrorists were apparently a legitimate threat.

Santana groans at her, "classified just doesn't work on you, does it? No comment, Pierce. Anyways, the base is a fucking drag. I needs some fresh air and you're better company than literally everyone else I happen to know."

"Thanks."

"By a very, very small degree," Santana confirms.

Brittany turns her eyes away from the diamond and takes in Santana's dress more fully. She's not wearing her uniform as casually as she wore it their previous encounters. Instead it's tight and while still sexy, it's polished and tidy like out of a handbook. Proper doesn't suit Santana at all, Brittany thinks.

"So it's just you observing?" Brittany confirms, finding this tidbit pleases her. Just the two of them? Brittany can't recall ever being excited about spending time with someone, and now she's feeling her heart bet faster.

"Unless you find something because then I have to call in the bosses, yes. It's just us." Santana rolls her eyes and then narrows them in interest on the diamond Brittany is no longer examining (in favour of examining the other shimmering thing in the room). "So, you find that?"

"No," Brittany holds up the diamond for Santana to see, "this is the original piece founded that started this whole scavenger hunt thing... weren't you briefed?"

"Maybe I wasn't listening because I don't give a fuck. So, diamonds, huh?" Santana smirks, "that is some bling."

"Did you know that in ancient Earth these were used for engagement before marriage?

"The fuck is marriage?"

"Old term for what we call Sharing."

"Oooooh."

"But here on Pratam, diamonds were used to forge weapons of execution, so like used for beheading."

"They were also used to decorate teeth," Santana adds in, not sounding smug or anything. She sounds bored, "and for surgery, I think…"

Brittany knew about the surgery, but not the teeth. She'll have to check to make sure but something tells her Santana is right. This flusters her because she rarely (never) knows less than someone else. Also, her heart is racing because Santana is as close as Rinker was minute ago but evidently more breathtaking than the diamond since Brittany's lungs have seized.

Santana doesn't seem to pick up on Brittany's chance of heart attack. However. She just unbuttons her jacket – the way that suits her - and causes Brittany further flustering. "So, where are we diamond hunting first? Damn it's hot in here. Your face is heating up too, you alright there nerd?"

"Fine," Brittany plays it cool and turns her attention back to the diamond. "Nothing I can't handle."

Santana hums and starts looking around the Pratam laboratory, which gives Brittany enough breathing room to finish her notes on the diamond. Other scientists have requested time with it to try and gage where else to find them on the planet. She has an idea of where to start.

"We're going to the jungle."

"Of course we are," Santana follows her lead out of the lab.

Hours later, they've set out on a trail with mineral-goggles provided by the Pratam government which Brittany secretly improved in order to recognize the diamond's unique shimmer and give her an advantage over other trackers.

Pratam scientists as well as a few others around the universe are all walking along the trail somewhere too because they've been spying on her and pretending they came up with it, which makes the race to find diamonds much more exhilarating so she's really not bothered. It was like, a scavenge hunt. Brittany loved it.

"Fucking moon heat," Santana grumbles behind her, "and fucking squitos!" she slaps the tiny Pratam bugs that have the tendency to hover around all the people.

Brittany smiles at her, "for a tough Army chick you're such a Princess."

Santana gives her a glare, "look whose talking Miss I Invent Everything Even My Own Voice Command Assistant! Invent some bug repellent."

This brings a pout to Brittany's face and she lifts the goggles off of her head to mourn, "Kiki broke."

Santana stops swatting at the squitos long enough to lift her goggles too. "Oh…" she sucks in her bottom lip, "sorry to hear that I guess. I know how much you loved the thing, even though it didn't work like you thought it would."

"Yeah," Brittany sighs. She's on the wrong strip to find diamonds, but the other trackers don't need to know that. "Let's continue tomorrow, I'm hungry now."

With no luck that day, they head into the center of Pratam for some food, only to end up enjoying a few famous P-Ales at a chill bar after eating a street vendor's fried something or another.

"Damn this is literally the best wheat based alcohol I have ever tasted," Brittany says on her fourth.

Santana hums in agreement and waves the bartender for another.

"Here ya go gooooood-looking," a handsome man says with his Pratam twang, placing another in front of Santana. "This one is on me."

Brittany raises her eyebrows in amusement and a little jealousy – if the people here knew she was The Brittany Pierce they would be all over _her_ instead of gaping at _Santana_.

Okay, yeah, Santana was super hot and Brittany sometime fantasized about the skin that lay beneath her Army clothing… like every time they met…

But like, she wasn't _all that._ Much. Okay, well, she was fit and gorgeous but other than that, nothing special. She was just really captivating and different and…

"I need another drink," Brittany says to herself.

Santana doesn't even relish the attention from the hot exotic man, which further piques Brittany. She pushes the drink back towards him and says, "Beat it."

He frowns but grabs the drink before walking off.

"Got someone at home?" Brittany questions Santana and decides to try and see where her attractions lie, "because that was some fine-"

"Don't even go there," Santana warns her, "I like you but I do _not_ want to hear about that shit."

Brittany relents to part of it, pushing forward with her other curiosity anyways. "No significant other?"

"Nope."

"Are you Class-L?" She asks next, considering Santana turned down a male gender so briskly, it could very well be why.

Her theory is correct because Santana takes a sip of her drink and nods after.

"What's your poison then?" Brittany asks her companion. "That lady tending the bar has nice boobs. I'd buy her a drink."

"I thought geniuses came up with better adjectives," Santana teases her. "And no. Whether I'm Class-L or another it doesn't matter. I don't' date, period."

"What, why? Are you an Asexual-Believer? Can't be, I mean you don't have the surgically removed genitals, do you?"

"Ugh," Santana cringes her swallow of ale down, "no, no, no. I just don't have time for it."

"You signed up on the Sexual Network?" Brittany asks, "I know over fifty percent of members are from Army and fifty percent of that fifty percent is from Uranus… go figure, right? I tried it once but I got some stalkers so I gave it up."

Santana actually laughs out loud, which causes Brittany to smile. Eventually she says, "No, I'm not part of those. Almost everybody I've ever arrested or worked with is on that so… I kind of associate criminals and lame-asses with that. But shit, didn't realize so many Army soldiers needed to fuck... it's probably why that guy thought I'd accept his drink. People need to learn to control themselves, you know? Just because I wear the uniform does not mean I enjoy arresting your ass to a bed post."

"I get that," Brittany says. "I get a lot of dirty fan mail… it's gross."

She accesses her wrist projector and shows one such scan-letter to Santana.

Santana leans forward and squints to read deadpan, "oh Brittany your mind is a delectable maze I yearn to punish me and my - ew," she scrunches her nose, not wanting to read any further than the word she refused to read out loud.

"Yeah, that's Krissy. She's actually one of the least vulgar ones… and very consistent. Her grammar is pretty good so, at least that's nice."

"She a stalker?"

"Technically not anymore since I got a restraining order against her so her methods of stalking have been tampered with, you know?"

Santana laughs and Brittany loves the sound.

She loves even more when Santana tells her, "You're funny."

After a few more rounds, they quote Myths of Pinkies with laughter and the night is perfect until it's time to say goodnight.

She finds the rare diamonds the next day and makes Galactic news headlines, but the best part of her trip was how when she gave Santana a diamond in secret before leaving. Santana was touched, touched enough to suggest they hang out sometime.

* * *

**Brittany's House, Earth: **

"Okay so, when you said you wanted to hang out I thought you meant catch a fucking movie… not a trip to Javener." Santana crosses her arms and watches Brittany run around her living room and grab random gadgets and what appeared to be junk to stuff in her portable hover-bag.

It's been a month since they last saw each other at the Pratam port. They also hadn't spoke, but when this opportunity came up Brittany remembered how much she enjoyed Santana's company on Pratam and called her up. Santana happened to be on break.

"We should totally do that next time, I have the best five-sensor screen you've ever seen. I even invented two bonus sensors so it's actually a seven sensor screen."

"Well, I'm not going to Javener," Santana says.

Brittany pauses her packing and frowns, "why not?"

"Because. You're the weirdo who thinks studying the Javener blue grass is still interesting – everybody in the universe does that when they're eight. No thanks."

"But… but…" Brittany doesn't understand how someone wouldn't find it fun, "the scientist Al-Kirtjeneger found a new evolving species which intrigues me. I'm going, I was even invited by the Javener Emperor. It's a perfect subject for my thesis so I can graduate aggregate."

Santana rolls her eyes, "Javener doesn't have an Emperor. Why the hell did you invite me? Take some of your nerdy flatterer drones…" She smirks evilly and adds, "or _Krissy_."

Brittany sticks her tongue out at the tease, "I'll be walking the Javener Mid-coast line. Your military training will come in handy and come on – I let you touch my personal scan."

"Wanky," Santana mutters under breath before grumbling, "fine! You're lucky I've got the week off… which I was going to spend on South Beach. Drinking."

Smiling widely, Brittany finishes packing and then announces out loud to her home, "Kiki I'm all set! Did you download Santana?"

"Yes I have successfully downloaded all information. Well to meet you Sant-t-t-t-t-" a screech expands the rest of Santana's name.

"The fuck. Is that." Santana looks around in shock.

Brittany grins and her bag hovers alongside her as she heads for the door.

"My personal assistant Kiki, remember? Her new voice is adapting. She's still undergoing some issues but, like, give it three years and she'll be perfect."

"I am –will be perfect. Thank you boss lady." Kiki screeches again.

Covering her ears, Santana stomps out of the house and says, "let's just fucking go."

Brittany has an express air-cab waiting outside and she tells it to take them to the public port.

"How much is a ticket there anyways?" Santana comments. "And this is just for the day, right?"

"Yep," Brittany taps her wrist projector and shows two tickets to Javener, "I got you covered buddy. University expense."

Santana hesitates, "what slang is that?"

"What?"

"Buddy."

"Martian, I think. For friend."

They get off at the port and head directly to the ship terminals. Brittany seems very excited for this trip, and since the blue grass tended to also smell really good – Santana had hair wash in the scent – she wasn't upset about the plan, really. She had always wanted to be a more active person, it was just hard to do when all her days off were spent playing virtual games and reading scans in her apartment. And drinking.

"We should be there in three hours," Brittany tells her as they go through security.

Santana nods at her and rocks on her feet, frowning at people chatting around the port. She didn't like crowds. Or noise.

"Excuse me," a uniformed security Army Cadet approaches them and stares at Brittany, "you'll have to come with me. Your personal baggage has suspicious instruments."

Brittany pouts but makes to follow him anyways. All the junk she packed was bound to raise an eyebrow.

Santana groans after her, "great, genius. Pack suspicious items."

"The different metals are throwing them off," Brittany defends over her shoulder in defense.

"You can wait outside-" the guy starts saying to Santana.

She cuts him off with a salute, "I'm a Commodore of the Army who witnessed this citizen packing personally, and I'm liable for any illegal possession. Let me in, alright?"

He nods politely, "of course, Commodore. I will just have to verify your identification-"

And at the exact moment, her identification was confirmed as the Head of Security at the port yelled, "Hoi! Commodore Lopez!"

He sauntered over and eyed her with sly eyes while she returned his not-so-friendly greeting, "Why Captain Porcelain, don't you look especially baby-face today."

Snickering, he looks her up and down, "oh honey. What have you gotten yourself into now? Wearing that?"

Overhearing this, Brittany also looks Santana up and down. She still looked… damn her.

"Hi!" Brittany interrupts from the interrogation room doorway where she had been waiting impatiently, "I don't mean to rush you but my port leaves in twenty minutes and it's a very important trip. Can you just search my bag and we go?"

"You-You're Brittany Pierce!" Kurt points at her shock.

The guy that had apprehended her gasps, "no way!"

"Nice to meet you!" Brittany smiles charmingly, "I just want to get to Javener and look at the blue grass, you know?"

"Certainly," Kurt clears his throat and shoulders by Santana rudely, making her stumble. "I'll deal with you later Lopez."

"Actually Sir," the initial security officer says timidly, "Commodore Lopez is traveling with the, um… with Brittany Pierce."

"Wait, what?" Kurt shoots wide eyes to Santana. "You and her?"

"Shut up," Santana bites at him. "Brittany thinks the different metals in her bag are what set off the sensors. How about you deal with it and let us go fast."

He nods and briefly yet still thoroughly searches Brittany's hover bag (albeit shooting Santana curious glances).

"Are you two dating or what?" he asks when he's nearly done. "Because Lopez here never tells me anything about her love life."

"There's nothing to tell," Brittany shoots Santana a smirk while saying this, which causes her to roll her eyes.

Kurt gives Brittany a suspicious look, and she likes that he thinks Santana would date her. That was cool.

"How about you tell me?" He offers Brittany slyly, "she's a friend."

"You sounded irritated with her and appeared hostile though," Brittany says plainly.

"Eh," Kurt closes the bag and gives Brittany a winning smile, "she knows what she did."

Scoffing, Santana grabs Brittany's hand and tugs her out of the room without saying goodbye to her fellow officers.

"What was that about?" Brittany asks.

"I spilt coffee on his new sweater. Gaff silk."

"_Oh_."


End file.
